1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a facsimile system with a wireless telephone function, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for enhancing a telephone call quality of such a facsimile system, in which power is not supplied to a facsimile circuit when the facsimile circuit is not needed, thereby enhancing the quality of a telephone call which is established by a wireless telephone circuit.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a facsimile system with a wireless telephone function is composed of a wireless telephone circuit and a facsimile circuit. Such a facsimile system also comprises two controllers which control those two circuits in the performance of their corresponding functions. Conventionally, the controller for the facsimile circuit is a master and the controller for the wireless telephone circuit is a slave.
Two categories of wireless telephone circuits can be utilized in conventional facsimile systems. The first category of wireless telephone circuits includes those which are connected by radio communication to a nearby remote telephone unit and also connected to a telephone line which is, in turn, connected with a central office exchange. Example of the first category are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,485 to Hayashi, for a Facsimile Apparatus Comprising Cordless Telephone Set and U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,329 to Hayashi, for a Facsimile Apparatus And Alarm System With Cordless Telephone Set. The second category of wireless telephone circuits includes those which utilize mobile radiotelephone technology such as that used in cellular telephones. The wireless telephone circuits in the second category are not directly connected to a telephone line. Example of facsimile systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,506 to D'Avello et al., for a Data Communication System With Automatic Power Control and U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,023 to D'Avello et al., for a Data Communication System With Automatic Power Control. Other examples of facsimile systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,851 to Kotani et al., for a Facsimile Apparatus Operable In Facsimile Or Conversation Mode, No. 5,574,571 to Charbonnier, for a Facsimile Machine With Diverse Communication Facilities and U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,401 to Yoshida, for a Facsimile Apparatus And Method Using Energy Supplied Through A Telephone Line For Operation Thereof
A problem exists in the aforementioned conventional facsimile systems. Power is continuously supplied to the facsimile circuit at all times. Thus, power is supplied to the facsimile circuit even when a telephone call is performed using the wireless telephone circuit and no facsimile data is being transmitted or received. As a result of the power being continuously supplied to the facsimile circuit, noise is generated by the controller for the facsimile circuit. This noise is introduced into the wireless telephone circuit and an antenna, resulting in a decreased telephone call distance and a degradation in telephone call quality. In addition, power is wasted because it is supplied to the facsimile circuit when no facsimile data is being transmitted or received.
Accordingly, I have discovered that it would be desirable to enhance the construction of a facsimile system having a wireless telephone function in order to avoid the aforementioned problems.